Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy in San Jose, CA

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy in San Jose, CA

Do you have therapy experience working with the issues I am looking for help with?

In my therapy sessions in San Jose, CA I focus on helping individuals in the areas of anxiety and trauma. I have additional training and tools beyond talk therapy that help my clients experience relief and find hope for living without anxiety or past memories dominating their day. Many of my clients don’t want another therapist who just rehashes their history and pain. Within the first few sessions my hope is that you will experience more lightness in your mind and body so that the crippling anxiety loosens its grip.  

How long do therapy sessions typically last? 

Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long. In some cases, we will do a bit longer session, but typical time is 50 minutes.

How much do therapy sessions cost? 

My 50 minute therapy sessions are $240.

What is a Good Faith Estimate?

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

You talk about a brain based therapy on your website  What is it and would it help me?

I am so glad you asked!   As an anxiety and trauma specialist, I use a brain based therapy called Brainspotting because it will help you focus on the part of your brain that carries your anxiety (and all your emotions) as well as your negative experiences.  There's a lot more to therapy than just talking and in Brainspotting sessions, you can talk as much or as little as you want.   Because you are getting access to the deepest part of your brain, you will process the trauma and relate to it differently. What I love about Brainspotting is that you are in charge.  Your brain knows exactly what you need to find healing and we move at your pace.  We don't need to rehash your trauma for you to find healing from it. 

What happens during the first counseling session? 

Once you decide we are a good fit, I will email you some forms which will help me to get to know you better.  During your first session, we will talk about why you are coming to therapy and also decide on some goals for our time together.  Sometimes it's hard to know what your goals are so we talk about what you might want more or less of in your life and we will go over the forms to come up with a plan for you to find healing and live a more free and meaningful life. 

What happens in the second counseling session?

In the second counseling session, we will start by deciding what issue you want to work on that day.  We will talk about what you notice about your body as you talk about it. Using that sensation in your body, we will find a “brainspot”.   During this time where you are looking at the “brainspot” you will notice your thoughts, feelings, body sensations.  It’s a process of noticing what does happen rather than trying to make anything happen.  You can talk as much or as little as you want.  Because you are getting access to the deepest part of your brain, you will process the trauma and relate to it differently. Your brain will put new information in the place of the trauma so that you can live with more freedom and feel less bogged down with the past. What I love about Brainspotting is that you are in charge.  Your brain knows exactly what you need to heal and we move at your pace. 

How often and how long will I need to come to therapy? 

I ask people to commit to coming to sessions every week for 4-6 months.  This allows me to get to know you and work at a steady and efficient pace to help you reach your goals.   Evidence-based research studies generally show an association between weekly therapy sessions and positive outcomes for clients. This is especially important in the first stage of therapy, when we are  getting started and beginning to get to the core of things.   We will re-evaluate after that to see where you are in meeting your goals and come up with a plan for how to move forward.  We will also be checking progress on your goals every quarter.  You might be ready to go to bi-weekly meetings or graduate. 

How can therapy help me?

I believe that therapy can actually heal your brain.  Wouldn't it be great to have a healthy brain? Because I use a brain based therapy called Brainspotting, we are going right to the deepest layer of your brain and your brain knows exactly what it needs to do to heal.  You will feel lighter and freer and better able to handle your life in healthier, more satisfying and meaningful ways!

Are therapy sessions covered by my insurance?

I am considered an out of network provider which means that I am not contracted with any insurance companies.  l do offer a Superbill, the paperwork needed for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.

Do you have evening and weekend counseling appointments available? 

No, but if that is a need you have, I am really well connected in the San Jose, CA community and can help you with a referral so you can get the help you are longing for!

How do you track my progress in counseling sessions?

In my practice, I really care that this is a big investment of your time and money.  I will email you some forms with assessments that can be filled out before our first session so that I can know some things about you before we even begin.  That gives me an idea of what your goals and hopes are for therapy.  We check in every quarter to see where you have reached your goals and where you still need to continue working.

Where do therapy sessions in San Jose take place? 

In-person sessions take place at 913 Willow Street, Suite 201, SJ 95125.  Telehealth sessions are also available if you live in CA.  

Who do you work with? 

I work with adults (18 and over) struggling with anxiety and chronic illness and pain due to trauma.

What if counseling isn't working? 

One of my highest values is the relationship we will build together.  If you are not making progress or feel like therapy is not working, we will talk together about what can be done differently so that you can achieve your goals.  If after that, you feel like therapy is still not working, we can talk about some referrals. 

I am ready to get started with therapy in San Jose, CA. What do I do next?

Call me here for a 15 minute consultation. We’ll spend 15-minutes on the phone and I’ll let you know how or if I can help. If I am not the right person, I’ll do my best to get you to the right person.


 

Get started with therapy, today.